Exploring changes in children's well-being due to COVID-19 restrictions: the Italian EpaS-ISS study

• Main Authors: Marco Giustini (Author), Ilaria Luzi (Author), Angela Spinelli (Author), Silvia Andreozzi (Author), Mauro Bucciarelli (Author), Marta Buoncristiano (Author), Paola Nardone (Author), Silvia Ciardullo (Author), on behalf of the EPaS-ISS Group (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: BMC, 2023-09-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.1186/s13052-023-01521-9; 1824-7288
• Keywords: COVID-19; Well-being; Stay at home orders; Children; Primary school; Pediatrics; RJ1-570
• Source: Italian Journal of Pediatrics, Vol 49, Iss 1, Pp 1-11 (2023)

Abstract Background While existing research has explored changes in health behaviours among adults and adolescents due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the impact of quarantine on young children's well-being is still less clear. Moreover, most of the published studies were carried out on small and non-representative samples. The aim of the EpaS-ISS study was to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the habits and behaviours of a representative sample of school children aged mainly 8-9 years and their families living in Italy, exploring the changes in children's well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the immediately preceding time period. Methods Data were collected using a web questionnaire. The target population was parents of children attending third-grade primary schools and living in Italy. A cluster sample design was adopted. A Well-Being Score (WBS) was calculated by summing the scores from 10 items concerning the children's well-being. Associations between WBS and socio-demographic variables and other variables were analysed. Results A total of 4863 families participated. The children's WBS decreased during COVID-19 (median value from 31 to 25; p = 0.000). The most statistically significant variables related to a worsening children's WBS were: time of school closure, female gender, living in a house with only a small and unliveable outdoor area, high parents' educational level and worsening financial situation. Conclusions According to parents ' perception, changes in daily routine during COVID-19 negatively affected children's well-being. This study has identified some personal and contextual variables associated with the worsening of children's WBS, which should be considered in case of similar events.